Rail-joint.



PATBNTBD Jmgg, 1907.

J. W. WEBB.

RAIL JOINT.

PPLIUATION FILED Arn.14.1eoe.

:sn's ca, wxsumam UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed April 14, 1906. Serial No. 311,693.

To alt whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM WEBB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Lowndes and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to rail-joints.

The tendency of railroad-rails is to dip or drop atvthe oints between the different railsection's, and various constructions have been devised for the purpose of preventing this dipping or dropping, .so as to maintain the rails with a uniform surface throughout their length. While the purposes in view have been accomplished to some extent, yet the difliculties have not been entirely overcome, and the objections still prevail to a greater or less extent.

My invention has for its object to efficiently overcome the difficulties experienced by providing a construction wherein the rails will be so supported and braced at the joints as to possess practically the same strength and rigidity at the joints as at other points in the length of the rails and whereby the dipping or dropping of the rails at the joints will be practically overcome and a -uniform surface to the tread be maintained throughout.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in features which will be hereinafter fully described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan-view, partly in section; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section; Fig. 4, a perspective of the wedge; Fig. 5, a perspective of the baseplate and its flanges; Fig. 6, a perspective of a locking-bolt, and Fig. 7 a plan view of an adjusting-plate.

In the drawings the numeral l designates a rail of a standard type.

The numeral 2 designates a base-plate provided along one side with an upwardly-extending stiffening-flange 3, from the top of which extends laterally a ange 4, designed to bear against the side of the head of the rail l and provided on the opposite side with an upwardly-extending stifening-flange 5. This forms a base-platefor the rails to rest upon,

which plate is stiffened and braced by 'the flanges 3 and 5 against vertical deiiection at either end from a horizontal plane, said flanges having the greatest depth opposite `and adjacent to the joint between the railsections, so as to afford increased strength at the point most necessary. The base-plate and upwardly-extending-flanges and the laterally-extending flange which bears against the side of the head of the rail on the outside thereof are formed of one piece, so that there will be no joints affording points of weakness, and in practice is intended to be made of steel. The chair thus formed will be located at the joint between the ends of adjacent rail-sections, and when in position the base of the rail-sections will rest upon the base-plate between the side flanges thereof, and the inside walls of the flanges will be vertical from their base upward, so as to provide for the vertical adjustment of the rail-sections at the joints, as hereinafter described.

The stiffening side iiange 3 of the chair is formed at its opposite ends with elongated bolt-openings 6, in alinement with corresponding elongated openings 7, formed in the railsections adjacent to their ends, so as to receive bolts 8, by means of which the chair and rail-sections will be bolted together and the flange 4 will be drawn against the side of the tread of the rail, as shown, and the edge of the outside bottom flange or base of the rail-sections will be held tightly against the inside face of the strengthening-flange, thus strengthening the joint between the rail-sec* tions and strongly bracing the rail and its joint against lateral strains.

The bolts 8 may be` tightened in any suitable manner but it is preferred to construct vthem `with a head 9 of ordinary forni at one 'end and with an elongated head 10 at the other end and to provide a locking-wedge 11 for tightening the bolt and drawing together and locking the parts in position. 'This IOO wedge 11 is formed with an elongated slot y 12, through which the elongated head of the bolt will pass when alined therewith, and then by giving the bolt a one-quarter turn the longest axis of its head will stand at right angles to the length of the slot in the wedge, so that it cannot be withdrawn, and

IIO

then by driving up the wedge the parts will be tightened and held securely together. The under face of the head next to the shank of the bolt on both sides thereof is beveled in the direction of the length of the incline of the wedge, so that the elongated head of the bolt will have a bearing throughout its width against the inclined face of the wedge and so as to form shoulders 13, which will bear against the opposite inside walls of the slot in the wedge, and thus prevent the bolt from turning within the slot when the parts are tightened up. The elongated holes in the side flanges of the chair and of the railsections allow for expansion and contraction of said parts. The end wall of the slot in the wedge at the small or reduced end thereof is formed with a recess or notch 14 to permit a wire 15 to be passed between the web of the rail and the wedge, so as to connect one wedge with another at their adjacent ends, and tus prevent the wedges from accidentally working loose, the connecting-wire having its ends twisted together so as to fasten it.

While the foregoing for some purposes may be the best means for securing the chair and rail together,yet other fastening means may be employed in conjunction with the construction ofthe chair described.

Another important feature of the invention will now be described. For the purpose of adjusting the rail-sections at their meeting ends, so that they will be raised and yet not destroy the substantial level or uniformity of the tread-surface of the rails at the joint and so as `to rigidly hold the rails at their joints against depression from the concussion "of the car-wheels, one or more sheets or thin plates 16, of steel, are inserted under the meeting-rail ends, resting upon the baseplate of the chair, and bolts 17 are passed vertically through openingsY 18, preferably elongated, formed in the base-plate of the chair adjacent to the ends of said base-plate, and through openings 19, formed in the base of the rail-sections, so that by tightening nuts 20, applied to the bolts, the rails will be held tightly and rigidly in their adjusted position. Thus the rails are so adjusted at their meeting ends and the joint strengthened and held rigidly against depression that the strongest joint possible is made, so as to guard against the dropping or depression of the rails at their meeting ends, so common in track construction and to avoid which has long been a problem sought to be solved in track construction.

This construction of rail-joint is believed to possess all the requisites of strength and rigidity necessary to prevent the objections found to exist 1n prior constructions, masvmuch as the rails at their meeting ends are not onlybraced againstlateral strains,but are also most strongly braced against the downward pressure occasioned by the passing of the car-wheels and their concussion against the ends of the meeting sections of the rails. Between the nuts 20 and the base of the rails are placed washers 21, and jam nuts 22 are applied to the bolts to prevent the nuts 2() from turning. The elongation of the openings 18 allows for expansion and contraction of the parts. The bolt-openings 19 in the base of the rails are formed near the edges of the rail-base, so as to be in the reduced portion thereof, and thus avoid weakening the rails adjacent to the rail-web, where the maximum strength is desirable.

To guard against the possible slipping of the filling-plates 16, said plates may be formed with ears or lugs 23, which may project into openings 24, formed in the baseplate and the strengthening-flanges of the rail-chair, as illustrated. While this may be desirable, it is not absolutely essential,I and yet if it be thought better to guard against possible slipping of the plates the means described will serve the purpose and will be sufficiently strong for the purpose, as practically no lateral strain on the filling-plates exists.

I have illustrated and described with particularity what I consider to be the best details of construction of the several parts; but it is obvious that changes may be made in the details and features of the invention still be retained.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim is- 1. In a rail-joint, the combination with a rail, of a chair composed of the base-plate having formed integrally therewith vertically-extending strengthening side flanges,

one of which has a laterally-extending flange l bearing against the side of the rail-head along the meeting ends of the rail-sections, and means for clamping together said chair and rail-sections', substantially as described.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination with a rail, of a chair having a base-plate extending under the meeting ends of the rail-sections, filling-plates resting on the base-plate beneath the meeting ends of the rail-sections for vertical adjustment of the rails at their meeting ends, and bolts extending through the base-plate and the rail-base at opposite sides ofthe meeting ends of the rail-sections, substantially as described.

3. In a rail-joint, the combination with a rail, of a chair composed. of a base-plate havingformed integrally therewith verticallyextending strengthening side flanges, one of which has a laterally-extending flange bearing against the side of the rail-head, alongv IIO of the rail-sections, and means for clamping tures in the ohairto prevent slip ing of the together the base of the rail and they baseplates, and means clamping the iiase of the plate of the chair, substantially as described. rails to the base-plate, substantially as de- 4. In a rai1-joint, the combination With a scribed. l 5 rail, of a chair having a base-plate extending In testimony whereof I aHX my signature 15 under the meeting ends of the rai1-seotions, in presence of two Witnesses. filling-plates resting on the base-plate be- JOHN WILLIAM WEBB. neath the meeting ends of the rail-sections Witnesses: for adjustment of the rails at their meeting J. B. HODGKIN, 1o ends, and provided with lips fitting in aper JANE BURKE.' 

